SO i bought one. its a 90, stick shift, red, lots of custom (some good, most bad). i wasn't even looking, but i came across it, and i liked it, and i needed a decent MPG DD, so i got one.
Impressions: I like it. its too loud (ricer pipes and header), and its a little too small for me (6'2", 305 lbs), but GOOD GOD ALMIGHTY its a blast to drive. It really is a GoKart with doors.
Questions:
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Should it 'warm-up' really fast? It seems I'm at operating temp REALLY fast, like, the end of the drive way fast. It doesn't overheat, and only one of the two fans work, but man does it get warm quick...
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What fuel mileage should one expect from a 1.6 with 165k on it and a 5 speed? Mods that matter include a tubular header, cone filter, 15 inch wheels with 205's, and i think it has a posi. Oh and the top doesn't go up unless its parked. My drive is all highway, 60-70mph, and at 70 mph, I'm turning roughly 3800, so please infer my final drive ratio if you can...(I'd simply like to know).
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Wheres the free power? I know its a 1.6 and 'free' and 'power' don't usually belong in the same category, but if one had say, under $100 to spend on making slight HP increases, where would you guys put it? I've heard timing adjustments make a difference, but I know almost nothing else about this motor. Also keep in mind i need decent mileage, so losing 10% in fuel economy for 2HP isn't feasible, and it already has exhaust and intake filter upgrades.
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Is there anything i NEED to know? For instance, I'm a big Turbocoupe thunderbird fan, and the 'thing to know' on those is the TFI module fails at the worst possible moment, and replacing it with a ford unit and rewiring it to the firewall completely eliminates this as a possibility. This bit 'o knowledge saves many a t-bird owner from a $200 tow over a $40 part.
So, is there anything like that i should know about for this car? Easy fixes or "do this now so it wont bite you later"?
I guess thats it for now. Thanks in advance GRM!
Oh, BTW, fell free to impart ANY Miata wisdom you feel i might need to know. Again, I know VERY little about these cars.
thanks!
-J0N